However, it will be accompanied by a hike in the annual fees of private medical colleges.
This new Centralized Admission Policy stated by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar has helped the Pakistan Association of Medical and Dental Institutions (PAMI) and PMDC. Both official bodies signed a memorandum of understanding in terms of the implementation of the new policy.
However, it came at a cost of granting medical colleges a fee hike of Rs 100,000, bringing it up to a fixed annual amount, 950,000/- per year.
PMDC first proposed a Central Induction System in 2016, but the colleges refused to join in and the proposal obtained a stay order by the court.
PAMI General Secretary Khaqan Khawaja stated that, a private university would be designated to conduct a single admission test for all medical students in the province and the results will be based upon pure merit. These results will then be forwarded to other private colleges for student enrollment.
After the centralised admission test and the display of merit list for the public sector medical and dental colleges, the admitting university shall invite applications for admissions in the private sector.
The Admissions Committee will comprise of a representative of PAMI, Vice Chancellor of the admitting university, Secretary Health or his nominee, 02 members from PMDC, Principal of a Medical or Dental college.
The new policy will be implemented from the month of October.
PMDC Registrar Dr. Waseem Hashmi, informed that the final decision regarding the policy and its implementation will be taken by the Supreme Court during the month of September.